Shelf bracket



0d 24, 1950 R. T. HEDFIELD ET AL 2,527,253

SHELF BRACKET Filed July 12, 1946 "Idar,

In in Q Il l In! N' .w

UM Y MU Q73 U /NvENroe. Eer/vou Tyson-uno v- Ean/Aza A. HILL.

Patented Oct. 24, 1950 u '2,527,252YA Y SHELF BRACKET j teynoiar. ndela, Madison, and

Edward A.' Hill, Oregon, Wis.

Application Julylt?, 1946, Seriall No, 683,112 1 claim. (ci. 248-239) The present invention relates to an improved form of shelf bracket.

To facilitate the ready erection of shelves, particularly .by relatively unskilled persons, various proposals have been made to provide shelf sustaining strips and the like which lend themselves to comparatively easy installation.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an integral structure, preferably metallic, Iwhich'contains 'Within itself both the means for sustaining the shelf as Well as the means for securing the shelf sustaining devices to the walls to which they are tobe attached.v

, It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shelf bracket in which the securing means are integral with the bracket, and also to provide means for drivingthe securing means without injury to the shelf bracket itself.

Other objects of the invention will appear .from the further description when considered in connection with the concurrently filed drawing in which:

Fig.`1 is an elevational viewf partly in section of a completed shelf erected by means of the shelf bracket of the present invention, in its preferred form; Y

Fig. 2 is an elevational view along the extent of the shelf bracket and is substantially a view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the shelf bracket as shown in Fig. 2, a portion of it being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a different type of fastenln means; f

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of. 4, also showing a blow-receiving strip lying within the shelf bracket;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view partly in section of the device shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view partly in section of a modification of the device shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8 is a similar view to Fig. 7 of a still further modifica-tion of the device of the present invention.

The shelf bracket preferably takes the form of an elongated channel having flanges of equal length and a web which is as wide or possibly slightly wider than the depth of the flanges. In any event, the web is to be of a size which would just comfortably admit the ends of the board from which the shelf is to be made. vThe web, in case a channel form is employed, is provided with fastening means which may either take the form of nails which penetrate the web and are suitably secured thereto, or may take thefor'm of. struck out prongs made from the material of the web itself. l

As a further alternative, one of the flanges may be omitted, thus constituting the device in effect an angle iron consisting of two flanges meeting at right angles, one of the anges being provided with the fastening means of the type hereinafter more fully described.

In its preferred embodiment the device is that substantially shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Thus suitable Walls 9 and I0 may serve as the space between which the shelf II is to be provided.

The shelf bracket itself, two of which are indicated in Fig. 1, consists of a channel broadly designated by the reference numeral I2, which is made up of two flanges I3 and I4 united by the web I5. Suitable fastening means, as for example nails I6 and I1, may be driven through the web itself, and are preferably countersunk as shown at I8 in Fig. 3. The nails I6 and I'I, and others of the same kind, are preferably oiset or staggered relative to the centerline running longitudinally of the web I5.

` An alternativeform is shown in Fig. 4, in which the web I5 has struck out outwardly therefrom prongs I9 and 20, which are provided with reinforcing means to keep them from being distorted when driven into the sustaining wall. These prongs may for instance be provided, as shown in Fig. 7, with a reinforcing rib 2 I, or may be made partly semicircular in cross-section, as for example, the prong I9, whose shape is apparent from the cross-sectioned portion of Fig. 6.

As a further alternative the prong 20 may be made triangular in cross-section with a sharp angle 22 along the median line thereof, as clearly shown in the perspective view of Fig. 8.

Fig. 8, moreover, illustrates a further modiiication of the invention in which the bottom ange I4 has been omitted, so that the device consists only of the flange I3 and a flange 25 which corresponds to the web I5 when the channel shaped structure is employed.

When erecting the device of the present invention, for example, if it is made in channel form, a blow-receiving strip 26 which may be of Wood or any other suitable material, and which is indicated in the cross-sectional portion shown in Fig. 5, is inserted into the channel with one side thereof in contact with the inside of the web I5. The strip 26, it will be noticed, is somewhat thicker than the length of the anges I3 and Il. With the strip 26 inserted in the channel between A similar strip is then aixed to the other wall The blow-receiving strip 26 is of 'course removed after the channel has been secured to the supporting wall. Thereafter the shelf II may be"l slid into the two opposed channels, thus fornriingA a shelf. If desired, and to prevent the shelf from being withdrawn by sliding, additionallsecuring brads or tacks 21 may be driven through asi'itV able opening 28 in the upper flange |3., Y

If the device takes the form shown in the blow-receiving stripcan neverthelessbeused in such a manner thatthe flange I3 (Fig. 8) is laid onztop ofthe strip 26,:While the other flange iwhich carries the fastening means, lies against the side .of the strip, whereafter with ther-strip, '.being of course thicker than the ange 13; the prongs or nails I6 and Il, etc., can be driven :into the wall 9 or I0. The strip may then bere,-v :movedbut in this-case the shelf is laid on top of the iange lf3 insteadof'being housed betweenthe, :flanges I3 andV I4. If desired ,a brad .may be driven upwardly into the shelf, through ,a hole I2 8so vas ,to securethe shelf tothe ,sustaining flange I3. 2

:Inconnection ,Withthe construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it is desirablev to have `the nails I6 aand lI 'I which are 4countersunk at I 8, `spot welded or 'similarly permanently affixed: tov the webil 5, as this prevents the nails from being ac cidentallywithdrawngandlost.

I The angle iron strip or, channel stripgof the present, invention may be madeof relatively :thin metaland can. beeasily constructed by a single stampingoperation in caseftheiprong typefof construction. is used, or by the use -of a comparatively simple nailing machina which drives; the nails I6 and I'I through the web ljatrthezsame timecountersinking them.: and p erhapsalso meldingthemgin place. y v

4 I Self evidently brackets of various thicknesses can be provided to be used with various standard types of shelving lumber, such as 1k", 1" and the like. For most commercial purposes the width 5 between the flanges I3 and I4 may be slightly over 3A" so as to receive boards 2% in thickness.

It is evident of course that the shelf bracket of the present invention need not entirely be made of metal, kas the web and flange may consist of 10 a rsuitably-shaped 'plastic material provided only that the securing means such as the nails are `made of a suciently hard material to permit driving them into a wall structure without bending or fracture.

'5` Accordingly applicants claim:

" AA shelf bracket comprising an elongated channel having a web and flanges, nails driven through the web thereof and secured thereto, and extending "from =the outside of said web said nails being 20 simultaneously insertable into a supporting wall by'means of la woodenstrip disposed infsaid channel and extending beyond thefiangeszthereof. l f r VREYNOLD T. HEDFIELD.-

. EDWARD A. HILL.

REFERENCES CITED 'Il'ieiollowing references are of recordin -th le`v of' this`V patent:

' UNrrEn STATES PAfrErrrs` l Number Name Date 5813980` 4Corscaden May 4, .1897.v 667,567' Page Feb. 4,119.01' :..7.08,505 Sweeney Sept. 2, 19.02

.776,556 Sibleyet-al Dec. 6, '1904 11,189,988 -Moody July 4, 1916; -.1,B;711i :Greenwald May 18, 1920 1,348,270 VDietze Aug. 3, 1920v :136171,0'80 Merrick' May 22, 19.28

40 2:,261 ,0 78. ;Shockey Oct. 28,1941- AFo'i'tizrcfn PATENTS Q Number Y Country y Y Date"Y d ,Y 89,279 Switzerland M ay 19, 1937,

19,144 'Great Britain Qgt. 9, 1,894. 

